Protector Stamp

According to the official Government of Pakistan website for the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment a protector stamp provides you with protection to ensure implementation of the terms and conditions of your overseas contract with you employer.

It also includes life insurance; in case you lose your life abroad, the person you nominate will receive one million Pakistani rupees.

Who Needs a Protector Stamp?

Any Pakistani traveling abroad on a work visa needs this stamp on their passport.

Is It Really Needed?

Yes, it is. According to the official website, “Every intending emigrant is legally bound to get his foreign service agreement protected from the concerned Protectorate of Emigrants (PE) office.”

Here is an example of someone getting into trouble for not having a protector stamp on their passport.

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Procedure for Issuance of the Stamp

Reach your local Protectorate Office early in the morning with the following original documents along with two sets of photocopies of each.

Documents Needed

Father’s CNIC (you can submit CNIC of any family member who is willing to act as your guardian. This person would receive monetary compensation paid by the life insurance company in case anything happens to you).

Document-Check

Go to the main reception. They will ask you to go to the photocopy counter. At this counter, your documents will be checked. If you do not have copies of any documents, you can get them copied here. But it will take a lot of time. So it is best to have your copies ready with you.

Bank Challan

Once your documents are ready, they will make three bank challans for you. Two challans of PKR 2,000 each will be submitted to the National Bank of Pakistan. One challan of PKR 2,500 will be submitted to Habib Bank.

Make sure that before you leave the Protectorate Office, you inform the clerk at the photocopy counter that you are going to the bank so that he can fill your registration form in advance, to save time for later.

Total Fee

So in total, you will need PKR 6,500. This includes the payment of your life insurance.

Submitting the Fee

The above-mentioned fee must be submitted, along with the challans, at the above-mentioned banks. The banks are located on the other side of Shahrah-e-Faisal, which are not difficult to locate. But it is definitely easier and quicker if you take the rickshaw service.

Rickshaw Service

There is a group of 12 rickshaw drivers around the Protectorate Office who facilitate applicants. These drivers take you to the bank, fill your forms, make sure you have the necessary photocopied documents and submit your fee for you.

Cons of Rickshaw Service

I was told that rickshaw drivers can sometimes misplace documents. However, I personally feel that it is not possible unless you are careless yourself and you lose attention. The drivers are always right next to you and losing documents is not possible if you are careful. You carry all documents in your own hands and only hand over your documents when you are inside the bank.

Back at the Office

Once you submit your fee challan at the banks, you return back to the Protectorate Office where a form and an affidavit are filled for you. If you had already informed them before leaving for the banks, you will save a good half hour here as your forms would already be filled. You do not have to fill them yourself.

At this point, you will submit your passport.

Insurance

Once your forms are filled, you are asked to go to the life insurance counter with a CNIC photocopy of your father (or whoever you nominate).

Wait

Once you have completed all documentation, you are asked to come back at 03:00 PM to collect your stamped passport.

Collection

You can collect your passport at the given time. Make sure that the stamp contains accurate details. You will also be given a life insurance document which states that the person you nominate will receive one million Pakistani rupees in case you lose your life abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should I apply for the Protector Stamp?

Yes, you should, as we are legally bound by the government to get the Protector Stamp.

2. How much is the fee for life insurance?

It is PKR 2,000 and is included in the total fee of PKR 6,500.

3. How much time does the whole process take?

Overall, it takes the whole day. The document submission takes a couple of hours. We have to return back around 3 PM to collect our documents.

4. Should I opt for the rickshaw service?

This is a personal choice. I opted for it and I was more than happy with it.

5. Do I need my visa to be able to apply for the Protector Stamp?

Yes.

6. Do I need Protector Stamp for the PLAB visa?

No, you do not.

7. Do I need a Protector Stamp if I am not from Pakistan?

I am not sure about this. It would be best to get in touch with IMGs from your country to confirm this.